Of Games and Ballrooms
by stuck-on-air
Summary: Malice. Femmeslash. A ball is being held in Marmoreal, and Mirana's concerned that Alice might not be enjoying herself and both are oblivious to the fact that their affection is returned.


**A/N:** Itsy-bitsy little Malice piece, written in an AU where Alice stayed.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Alice in Wonderland, if I did, Alice and Mirana would be together and Mally would have her own adventures fighting spiders and things.

**Warning:** contains; femmeslash between Alice and Mirana, a PDA hating rabbit, and slightly OOC characters.

* * *

Mirana gazed about at all those in attendance at the ball-a celebration of the White Queen's return to power. Late, perhaps, being held over a fortnight after Frabjous day: but a glorious affair none the less. People, creatures, and even trees came from all reaches of Underland: gathering at Marmoreal. It was chaos, but a beautiful chaos. So why was it Mirana wasn't enjoying herself, wasn't smiling?

There, in the corner, standing much to herself, was Alice. It worried the queen to see Alice so withdrawn from the others, so alone. She kept up her appearance though, allowing worry to cross her face for only a fraction of a moment before her usual half smile returned and she humored a duke's wish to dance. All the while thinking of Alice.

Alice, however, was far from content. The gossip of the ball was starting to shake her, though she knew it was likely gossip and nothing more. Word was that Mirana was romantically involved with a duke, what was his name again? Daniel? Trevor? Something of some nature. She couldn't care less, denial, it mattered not to her who Mirana choose to see-lies all lies-as long as the queen was happy-the one truth in it all. It wasn't like Alice to become jealous, and so she shoved the feeling to the back of her mind and choked down some punch. When Chess asked her for a dance, his eyes alight and mischievous, she readily agreed-hoping to busy her body enough to banish the thoughts of Mirana from her mind.

Many times that night the two women brushed by each other on the floor, alas: like to smooth pieces of glass, they stayed parallel and slid past.

Midnight came to pass, and many of the participants began to leave respectively. The white queen grew concerned enough to ask Alice why-after several dances with various members of the court and Underland-she was so somber and distracted looking. The young champion stood alone, outside on a balcony. Along the way to Alice, the queen encountered Daniel the Duke of Ferric, and brushed him off as quickly and simply as one would take off a coat. The man was persistent, but Mirana wasn't interested in him.

Standing off to the side of Alice, the queen gazed at her: the girl was daydreaming or so it seemed. Her head tilted upward, her hands clutched together and her body swaying ever so lightly at times. Mirana drew a breath, talking to Alice was difficult at times with the girls curiosity and all.

"Alice," She said, coming up behind the younger woman and brushing her arm with one pale hand, "Is something the matter?"

"I was just wondering was all," Alice replied, wondering, indeed, why Mirana was talking to her when she could be talking to that Duke, "Pondering things really."

Mirana tried to respond, but found she couldn't quite find the words. The two spent a few seconds of silence together before Alice spoke again. The tension, by then, so tight and thick in the air that it hung like a curtain separating them from all else: and could be cut by a knife easily.

"Is it true then?" Alice asked, fiddling with her hands, her gaze darting about before connecting with Mirana's, "The rumors-of you and that duke?"

"No," Mirana replied with a sigh, "There is nothing, no matter how he so wishes it, and there never will be."

"He reminds me of Hamish to an extent," Alice mused with a smile, receiving one from Mirana in return, she sobered, fiddling with her hands as silence descended once more, "Would it not work because you already have someone?"

"Yes," Mirana began, a sly smile gracing her lips as she continued, "Or no. I hope, but as of yet I do not know."

"Oh," Alice replied, sounding discouraged as she stepped forward and leaned upon the balcony guard, staring up at the stars, "You could always ask him tonight, knowing would be better then not knowing." Lies, lies: she preferred not knowing if Mirana returned her affections or not, it gave it that slight chance as opposed to no: though perhaps she would've like to know if the answer was a definite yes and she knew before asking-but then, what point would there be in asking?

"She," Mirana replied with a small smile, looking down as she joined Alice by her side once more, "And I wouldn't dare, for if the answer were no it would likely ruin our friendship."

"Really?" Alice asked, turning to face Mirana, before calming and becoming the more depressed girl she'd been recently, "Who is it? Mally?"

"No, guess again," Mirana replied, inching closer, her eyes as bright as the stars above.

"Your lady in waiting?" Alice asked, hoping that it was her, narrowing down the odds and wishing that Mirana would inch close enough that she could kiss the woman: delighted when Mirana did just as she had hoped.

"No," Mirana reiterated, gaining another inch and furthering their game-it was far more fun then simply stating the facts to one another.

"One last guess then?" Alice asked as the white queen drew closer, "Now. If it isn't Mally and it isn't your lady in waiting... logically... there's only one other person it could be, and, I can assure you of her feelings-better yet, I can show you."

With that, Alice closed the distance between her and the queen, pulling the woman into a kiss which was quickly returned. The kiss deepened, and the two were equally reluctant to pull away but found themselves doing so upon hearing a loud 'hmmp' from to ball room side. After pulling away, the two looked at the source of the noise-Nivens-then looked at each other and blushed.

"Hello Nivens," Mirana said, feeling like a child caught breaking the rules, her elated mood slightly damped by the rabbits entrance- but only slightly downed and slowed, but still soaring.

"Your majesty, you're needed inside," Nivens stated before hopping away on his rabbit feet, a peculiar air about him-A mix of 'I knew it, told you so' and the slightness which comes with annoyance after witnessing the slightly public affections before him.

"This'll only take but a moment, Alice," Mirana explained, looking at the girl before her, "I'll meet you in my chambers," Alice smiled at that, joyful that she'd be spending more time with the queen she loved, and curious, "Farewell for now," Mirana finished, placing a light kiss on Alice's lips before leaving.

Both headed their opposite ways, parting momentarily before rejoining for their own, private, festivities.


End file.
